Month End Summary #2: May 2017

Good evening, everyone! It’s time for the Month End Summary for our first full month since entering the creation phase of the project. I feel like it’s been a very productive month, and I hope everyone has been enjoying the released maps and map icons.

This month I’ve released 24 new maps and over 100 new map icons (5 new icons sets).

Map #36 was just released moments ago, and Icon set #8 will be arriving a tad late in the next day or so. Its intended release today was delayed a bit due to the massive upload of this month’s Summary download ZIPs (which weigh in at over 2.2 GB including the maps). The summary downloads are available right now to backers: just check your “My Account” section in the Digital Distribution Tool.

According to the numbers (map release count, project deadline, days since DDT launch) we’re currently 26 days ahead of schedule, and the entire project is over 18% complete.

I’ve added these dynamic calculations to the DDT just beneath the “News” section. This way we can all keep track of where the project is at and how much progress has been made via a live view.

Updates & New Features for the DDT –

Aside from adding in the “Progress Calculation” widget, I haven’t made many updates to the Digital Distribution Tool this past month. I did a few tweaks to squelch bugs (documented in the comments section here on Kickstarter), but mainly I’ve been focusing on getting content out and working on the custom maps for backers.

I’m hoping to get to some new features added to the DDT during the month of June, and will post notice of any new features via the comments section.

In Conclusion –

May has been a productive month, and I hope to make June even more so. We’ll stay on top of this, and keep pulling ahead of schedule this summer.

Keep an eye out for more maps and icons headed your way, and have fun! Always feel free to leave a comment, and don’t hesitate to contact me if you have questions or concerns.

Comments

Superbacker

Just a heads up this Saturday morning (July 1): Sorry about the delay in getting the Month End Summary (#3) out this go round. I have been trying to get everything live for you all for the past day. We did *so much* in June that the summary downloads are huge. I made two attempts to upload the high resolution ZIP (3.6 GB), and both times [after many hours of uploading] failed due to my local ISP. I have decided to break that download up into three different ZIP files to prevent this, and have started uploading those three files now individually so the process can complete. Since I intend for July to be as productive (if not more so) I will be repeating this (multi-file download) process moving forward. Here in southern Kentucky we don’t have the most reliable internet access and the speeds are relatively abhorrent. Normally I don’t complain and I can work around this issue, but a nearly-4GB upload was apparently just more than the ISP could stomach. Anyway, those files are uploading now, and the summary update post will be rolling out this afternoon or evening. Thanks for your patience!

Superbacker

1) There will be an entire set of “inside building” maps with the “Taverns & Storefronts” mini-maps collection that is included in this project. Those maps will likely start rolling out once I complete all the custom backer maps. Since these maps will represent various generic buildings (shops, inns, taverns, etc.) you will be able to utilize any of them to represent the interior of any building shown on one of the cityscape maps.

2 & 3) Likely not. I pondered the best way to handle this, and decided that the best approach is to try to keep each map as a theme unto itself to provide the most flexibility and value for everyone. An additional map to represent the top level of the castle walls, for instance, would require an entire additional map. Honestly, if we’re using up a map slot for the project I’d much prefer to give folks an entirely new map to utilize. In addition to that (for use in game play) the same map could be utilized with the central section blocked off to represent to the top of the castle walls.

However, I haven’t completely negated the concept of multi-level maps. If you check out Map #39 (Navigating the Water Tunnels), it’s actually a top level and a lower level with a whirlpool leading from one layer to the next. Another example of a multi-level map is the one preceding it; #38 (The Labyrinth of Portals). It has eight completely separate levels, and those utilizing the map can decide which portal leads to which locale.

Superbacker

1) will map #5 ever get expanded to include the interiors of the village?
2) will map #19 ever get expanded to include the tops of the castle walls?
3) will map #26 ever get expanded to include the rooftops?

(common pattern here: you see to give the rooftops or the interiors, but not both -- it'd be nice to get both)

Superbacker

By backer request, I have added an additional Month End Summary download ZIP which contains all of the Lower Resolution versions of the maps. The option to download this ZIP has been added to the summary download section on the DDT which can be found at the very top of the “My Account” page.

Since the lower resolution maps were not included in last month’s summary download either, this month’s low resolution summary download includes all 35 maps released to date. Thanks!

Superbacker

Superbacker

@Adam Stevens: I sent you a message with details on how to resolve the issue you are experiencing. If you still run into issues logging in, please feel free to send me a message and we'll get it sorted out. Thanks!